Searches and metal detectors in use at Socastee High
After the shooting and bomb scare at Socastee High School last week, the Horry County School Board of Education will consider handing over security to local police agencies.
At its meeting Monday night, the board passed a motion for the district superintendent to discuss the possibility with local police departments.
"I don't want them (educators) to spend their time dealing constantly with what they should be doing about security, when that's not what they were trained to do. I want them to be educators," said board member Joe Defeo who proposed the motion.
Defeo said other school districts have formed partnerships with police, because he says police have the expertise needed to run security.
He says security may continue to be compromised until "we have experts in the law enforcement field make these decisions rather than have it made at the principal level or even ... at the district level."
The motion is an "exploratory" one right now, and it only asks that Dr. Cindy Elsberry, the superintendent, discuss the possibility with police chiefs.
Before the motion was passed, Elsberry gave a report on school security and made a point to say the district takes security seriously.
She said during the last school year, the district spent around $6.5 million on security measures, and she said in light of the Socastee incident, the protocol will be reviewed further.
However, despite all the resources and reviewing, Elsberry says no one can ever ensure 100% safety.
"Because the reality is we cannot guarantee there will be no breach. No law enforcement agency can do that," she said.
